I remember my first real bike....................do you

When I WAS 17 I bought my first bike as nasty old Yamaha MX250 went ok, looked ok, sounded noisy but I guess you would expect that from an old 2 stroke motorcross bike with a dodgy muffler. I kept that beast for a year or so and learned a lot of really important things like keep the throttle open when going through flooded rivers, lean back and lift the front of the bike over jumps and most importantly no matter what you might think trees are harder than you. Anyhow the time came to part ways, to be fair I was kinda forced into it by the case developing a big crack which would allow all the oil to drain out in about a minute or so after it got real hot. I traded her in at Blacktown Honda or at least I think it was called anyhow that shop is now long defunct. I traded on a new road registered XL185, this was the bike I got my licence on which in those days was no big deal. I just went to the Windsor Cop shop and told em I wanted a riders test so the duty Sgt came outside and told me where to go (steady now he actually gave me directions ok) and took out his stopwatch and said go. I rode up the street turned left and basically went round the block when I got back he checked his stopwatch to see I wasn't speeding or going to slow, he reckoned he could tell all he needed from watching me take off turn left and then seeing me coming back and stopping he then declared I wasn't a menace to society 'not on the bike anyway' and gave me my licence. I kept that bike for while until it was stolen from Granville whilst chained to a pole no less (did make it hard to ride though LOL) the buggers actually cut the pole because the chain I bought was too tough, ya know too date that is the only bike that I have ever had stolen. Next cab off the rank was a 1970 XS650 which I lovingly if poorly rebuilt, it was a good thing I worked with a mechanic that simply shook his head and said thank f@@@ that the bike didn't start seems I had not tightened any of the stuff 9yes that is a technical term) up properly, took a long time to realise that a torque wrench is a good investment and they put all those numbers in the workshop manuals on the nuts and bolts for a reason.

I went from bike to bike to bike for a while, wishing I had kept some and NEVER seen others but my first 'real' drooly bike for me was a 1980 XLCH 1000 Iron Head sporty it really was a heap of sh!t but it was my heap of sh!t and I could be found out in the shed polishing this and replacing that or saying things like "I never noticed that was broken or the more common where did that bit go?" any of you that have ever owned a Shovelhead Harley or perhaps a pre 2000 Moto Guzzi will understand. I still reckon this was when the bug bit real hard and I would just look at her smile and get all warm and fuzzy. Then I painted her in Porsche grey and didn't she look amazing and went great too as long as it wasn't raining (electrical system could have ben a bit more watertight) and you didn't intend on going too far as she blew 6 foot flames under engine braking. The day I sold her was tough and although I made a profit on the bike I was truly saddened until Colin from Robbo's rang me seems the bike had sh!t itself bigtime and when they pulled the top off the motor you could fit a feeler guage down between the piston and bore PAST the rings hahahahahahaha. Colin was pi$$ed because his salesman had sold it on Robbo's paperwork instead of the consignment book and that meant Robbo's had a warrantly claim and Colin had, in a dream no doubt, thought he called me relaying me his tale of woe and I said "Oh ok Col why don't you fix that bike up and send the bill to me and I'll sort it out for you" where in reality I thought "dodged a bullet there" anyhow Col and the new owner came to an agreement and Col covered the parts and the guy covered the labour, I know I would have made Robbo's pay the lot not my fault the salesman used the wrong paperwork.

Following is a list of all the bikes I have owned in my 30+ years of riding, in no particular order.
Yamaha MX250

Honda XL185

Suzuki DR250Z

Honda XL250

Yamaha XS650

Honda CX500 Sport

Yamaha XV750

Suzuki LS650 Savage

Suzuki DR650

BMW R65

BMW K100

Harley XLCH100

Harley FXST

Harley FXD

Harley WLA

Triumph Rocket III

Victory High Ball

So really what has been the point of my seemingly non-sensicle story above other than to relive the past and gob on about bikes? Well last week my wife saw a bike on the net in Brisbane, she's been looking a new beastie to match her new "P" status, and the bike appeared to be a beautiful 2005 Triumph Thruxton and she said "Ooh I like that one" to which I responded after seeing the photos "you can have that one, I'll let ya!!" big of me I know but truly she has looked at a lot of bikes and ooh and ahhed over a few but this one was different. I had a mate in Brisbane take a British mechanic over and have a look and he called me an hour later telling it was as good in the flesh as in the photos. I contacted the shop negotiated a deal via photos and video emailed up for a trade in price for my wifes existing ride, a 2008 Suzuki GS500F a price I might add that was $500 more than we paid for it (I love the internet). I set off with my good mate Billy last Thursday at 5am and rode up to Brisbane picked up the bike and partied on the Friday night with mates and rode home on Saturday (2600klms round trip). I got it home and she instantly thought it was the most beautiful bike she had seen, I am so glad my wife has good taste in both men and bikes :). She immedatily took it for a ride and can't stop 'silly' grinning and everytime I turn around I find her outside just polishing and thinking about changing this and that yes folks it seems my wife finally understands what "it" is when it comes to bikes. Now I think I will have a hell of a time talking her out of trips away with the lads, sh!t shoulda thought of that bit ah well could be worse she could have bought a Vespa
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